England completed an innings-and-157-run win over Australia on day four of the fourth Ashes Test match in Melbourne to go 2-1 up in the five-match series and therefore retain the Ashes.

Australia resumed the day on 169 for six and with Ryan Harris not due to bat afer fracturing his ankle on day three, England picked up the remaining three wickets for the addition of 89 runs.

Brad Haddin stroked a defiant unbeaten 55 and Peter Siddle 40 after Mitchell Johnson was bowled by James Anderson for six early on.

Siddle helped Haddin add 86 for the eighth wicket but once Siddle was dismissed, caught by Kevin Pietersen off Graeme Swann, England had to wait just seven more balls for their victory moment as Ben HIlfenhaus was caught by Matthew Prior off Tim Bresnan, who returned career-best figures of four for 50.

On , they dismissed Australia for 98 and then raced to 157 without loss in reply before closing the second day on 444 for five after Trott's century and half-centuries from Alastair Cook, Strauss and Pietersen.

As if the match situation wasn't bad enough for Australia, captain Ponting was also fined 40 percent of his match fee following a prolonged discussion with the umpires following a decision review.

Day three saw Jonathan Trott reach 168 not out and Matthew Prior 85 as England posted 513, and a fine spell from Bresnan to remove Shane Watson, Ponting and Michael Hussey enabled England to close within sight of the win.

The five-match series was level at 1-1 following a draw in Brisbane, an innings win for England in Adelaide and a 267-run win for Australia in Perth.

As England held the Ashes following a 2-1 series win in 2009, they only needed to draw the series to retain the urn.